Main menu

Fear.

Pages

After a good, long run, we have decided to close our forums in an effort to refocus attention to other sections of the site. Fortunately for you all, we're living in a time where discussion of a favorite topic now has a lot of homes. So we encourage you all to bring your ravenous love for discussion to Chuck's official Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram. And, as always, you can still post comments on all News updates. Thank you for your loyalty and passion over the years. These changes will happen June 1.

What thing(s) strike(s) fear in you?
Could be scenarios, ideas, people, creatures. Perceived or real.

Mine:
Being in the middle of an ocean or large body of water. Edit: Being in the middle of this, without a boat, raft, etc. Swimming with the depths of water and unknown creatures lurking frightens the living shit out of me.
Falling to my death.
Large groups of people focusing on me.

Acrophobia. I can go up and look down from closed spaces, if there's a railing or anything to keep me from falling. But if I were on a platform a couple hundred feet above ground I would shit my pants.

I used to think I was afraid of heights, but I thinks it's just i'm afraid of falling from heights and not the heights themselves.
Like, I'd have no problem climbing to the top of a roller coaster, but I'd never want to ride one.

Acrophobia. I can go up and look down from closed spaces, if there's a railing or anything to keep me from falling. But if I were on a platform a couple hundred feet above ground I would shit my pants.

I've spent a good portion of my life trying to conquer every fear I've ever had. This includes getting punched, going into the ocean on a tiny boat, going down the steepest slope in Ski Apache known as the "Dead End" on a snowboard, hanging off a cliff, etc. etc, and finally... roller coasters. The one fear of mine that I can't seem to get rid of for good has been roller coasters. I've gone to Six Flags and ridden all the rides, but I can't seem to get over the extreme anxiety I get in line and "at the top." I don't know what it is. I think it's just the extreme lack of control I have over the situation.

I hate rollercoasters. I've gone on them - some of the biggest/highest/steepest in the country - in an attempt at conquering the Fear.

This is one.

Colossus is a wooden roller coaster located in the Colossus County Fair area of Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. When it opened on June 29, 1978, it was one of the tallest and fastest wooden roller coasters in the world, and the first roller coaster in the world with two drops in excess of 100 feet (30 m).

If I didn't get that feeling of your stomach floating up to your neck, in those drops, I think I'd be okay with roller coasters. I'm still not convinced, that during that free fall moment, that your organs can't just drift around inside you.

I have never been on a rollercoaster because I'm totally afraid. I remember we were at the seaside once and my parents insisted I go on a really small ride with them and my brother and I started crying and didn't want to and just waited by the roller coaster and when they got out mum had stained her new white blouse with black oil from one of the cars. I was so glad, I couldn't stop thinking she deserved it.

If I didn't get that feeling of your stomach floating up to your neck, in those drops, I think I'd be okay with roller coasters. I'm still not convinced, that during that free fall moment, that your organs can't just drift around inside you.

The worst part for me is going up in that slow pace. All that time to think about what is going to happen. The carts are (obviously) tilted back, and I always lean forward, because sitting back is way too scary.

I always loved rollercoasters and trusted that they won't kill me by accident. My favorite by far is "X" at Six Flags.

That is a great coaster.

I'm afraid of heights as well.

Being trapped in small spaces.

Submerged underwater for long periods of time...I can't fathom ever going on a submarine, I'd die from mere panic of not being able to get some fresh l.a. smog air.

Also being lost in space. I find space travel highly interesting but the thought of ever having to go into space(in a cramped space) is almost as bad if not worse than being submerged underwater.

Ohh and I have a weird fear of mannequins, porcelain dolls, certain inanimate objects that I think could come to life...it's really weird. Not all dolls but yeah. The log ride at knotts used to freak me out because the human figures in there were all rotted and I don't know why but I felt like they were real people cursed and dead in these forms forever. Gives me the heebie jeebies.

It is just so flimsy feeling, it rocks and you are not tied or strapped in in any way and just cannot handle it at all.

I think I am overcoming my fear of graveyards, but then I have not entered one in a long time so who knows.

Jumping from high places (such as off a bridge into a lake).

Like Isaac, I generally force myself to do the very things that frighten me most however. I think it is a desire to be a complete master of myself. A need for autonomy so strong that fears must be at least faced at every chance, if not overcome. If even my own fears cannot control me then I will be free and certainly nothing else external from my self will be my master.

Sometimes it is why I do even the simplest things, like getting my tongue pierced. (no longer have it, took it out a couple years ago) The idea of having my tongue stabbed all the way through scared the holy shit out of me. Other sorts of piercings didn't bother me at all, but that idea was truly scary. So I did it one day out of nowhere without thinking about it for no reason other than how sick the idea of having it done made me feel.

I watched the whole thing and WTF: it affected me sitting on my couch in front of the TV.
My friend is a iron worker so when the guy stated the OSHA standards that were not heeded, I thought of him. He never used his safety harnesses either--said it slowed him down.
It takes a special type of person to do those jobs.

It is just so flimsy feeling, it rocks and you are not tied or strapped in in any way and just cannot handle it at all.

I think I am overcoming my fear of graveyards, but then I have not entered one in a long time so who knows.

Jumping from high places (such as off a bridge into a lake).

Like Isaac, I generally force myself to do the very things that frighten me most however. I think it is a desire to be a complete master of myself. A need for autonomy so strong that fears must be at least faced at every chance, if not overcome. If even my own fears cannot control me then I will be free and certainly nothing else external from my self will be my master.

Sometimes it is why I do even the simplest things, like getting my tongue pierced. (no longer have it, took it out a couple years ago) The idea of having my tongue stabbed all the way through scared the holy shit out of me. Other sorts of piercings didn't bother me at all, but that idea was truly scary. So I did it one day out of nowhere without thinking about it for no reason other than how sick the idea of having it done made me feel.

Do you know what scared you about graveyards or is it just a thing about them in general?
They've never bothered me, even at night, but there is this sense of being in one, that there's something "off" or however else I can't describe. It's like you go through some invisible curtain whenever you go into one.

Also, can not wanting to be stabbed or pierced really be a fear? That's just something that I wouldn't want to happen. Like, I'm not afraid of getting shot, I just don't want to get shot. That's just general survival instincts, isn't it?

I just never want to be the one stuck guarding everyone's purses and wallets, you know?

I think I'm going to make this my new philosophy of life.

Not only because of how it makes you more adventurous, but it also takes away a lot of responsibility. Because if they all come back and you've lost one single purse. Not only are you lame for not going with them, but now you're an asshole whole loses things.
Just avoid the whole thing and go swim with a shark.

I watched the whole thing and WTF: it affected me sitting on my couch in front of the TV.
My friend is a iron worker so when the guy stated the OSHA standards that were not heeded, I thought of him. He never used his safety harnesses either--said it slowed him down.
It takes a special type of person to do those jobs.

For me, it's that whole forced first-person perspective. Same reason I won't play games like that. Feels like I got horse-blinders on. Losing that peripheral vision makes me queasy.

I'm afraid of being murdered in my sleep by somebody i slighted a long time ago and forgot about. Violently murdered, with knives. It's a constant fear. Sometimes i worry they're following me, waiting for the right moment.

It is just so flimsy feeling, it rocks and you are not tied or strapped in in any way and just cannot handle it at all.

I think I am overcoming my fear of graveyards, but then I have not entered one in a long time so who knows.

Jumping from high places (such as off a bridge into a lake).

Like Isaac, I generally force myself to do the very things that frighten me most however. I think it is a desire to be a complete master of myself. A need for autonomy so strong that fears must be at least faced at every chance, if not overcome. If even my own fears cannot control me then I will be free and certainly nothing else external from my self will be my master.

Sometimes it is why I do even the simplest things, like getting my tongue pierced. (no longer have it, took it out a couple years ago) The idea of having my tongue stabbed all the way through scared the holy shit out of me. Other sorts of piercings didn't bother me at all, but that idea was truly scary. So I did it one day out of nowhere without thinking about it for no reason other than how sick the idea of having it done made me feel.

Do you know what scared you about graveyards or is it just a thing about them in general?
They've never bothered me, even at night, but there is this sense of being in one, that there's something "off" or however else I can't describe. It's like you go through some invisible curtain whenever you go into one.

Also, can not wanting to be stabbed or pierced really be a fear? That's just something that I wouldn't want to happen. Like, I'm not afraid of getting shot, I just don't want to get shot. That's just general survival instincts, isn't it?

But I am not afraid of being pierced, I have had quite a few piercings, actually I have had more than I currently do have and nearly all of them I have done myself .I used to just give myself a new piercing because I was bored now and then. But something about the idea of having my tongue pierced just freaked me the fuck out. Also, different decade, back when it wasn't common place for people to have facial or body piercings.

The graveyard thing is because of this long trip I took with my grandparents across country when I was nine. We visited all kinds of amazing national parks and landmarks, but we also visited many many very old cemeteries. My grandma had just really gotten into her genealogy hobby and so when we stopped at cemeteries she would send me and my sister off into them to wander and look for tombstones with certain names. I also saw the original Night of the Living Dead that year (again, different decade, Zombies were't exactly an ingrained part of pop culture the way they are now, plus.. I was nine) After that trip I just could never handle them again.

Mostly, I'm terrified of a home invasion and not being able to get to my gun quick enough. The idea of someone coming into my house to hurt my kids is the most frightening thing I can imagine. Or anyone hurting my kids under any circumstances, for that matter.

It's not really a fear, but I get afraid when I realize I've been walking behind the same person for too long. I'm afraid they'll think that I am following them, So I'll usually change whichever direction I'm going so as to not follow them anymore.
This goes for walking or driving.

I'd die inside if I tried that. I'm too big and imposing as is, and if I tired that, it's come to that one second where everything went critical mass and they were certain I was running up to grab them or something and then I'd have to mumble something about how I was just going to the post office and not planning on raping them or anything and then I'd get a face full of pepper spray.
Or what if I trip on a curb or something and accidentally bump into them?! No way, man! No way!

Pages

Important Disclaimer: Although this is Chuck Palahniuk’s official website, we are in essence, more an official ‘fansite.’ Chuck Palahniuk himself does not own nor run this website. Nor did he create it. It was started by Dennis Widmyer, who is the webmaster and editor of most of the content. Chuck Palahniuk himself should not be held accountable nor liable for any of the content posted on this website. The opinions expressed in the news updates, content pages and message boards are not the opinions of Chuck Palahniuk nor his publishers. If you are trying to contact Chuck Palahniuk, sending emails to this website will not get you there. You should instead, take the more professional route of contacting his publicist at Doubleday.